"That will change as time goes on," said DiDio. "As Linux gains traction, the price points of Linux network management salaries will come into line with Windows."
But with 90 percent of the 300 large enterprises with 10,000 or more end users saying that a significant or total switch from Windows to Linux would be prohibitively expensive, extremely complex, and time consuming -- and not provide any tangible business gains for the organization -- that time won't be soon.
Based on that kind of response, Linux won't dethrone Windows as the leading server vendor in the next two years, said DiDio. Linux on the desktop? It won't dent the 94 percent market share now held by Windows desktops through 2006.
A combination of factors make it unlikely that Linux will ever unseat Windows, said DiDio.
"The very severe economic downturn left many businesses running very lean. CIOs and CEOs are very pragmatic, and they're now very careful about spending their money. Then, Microsoft's software has gotten a lot better; it's not standing still. The third thing is that because of the downturn, many organizations have deferred upgrades."
Discover the benefits of scalable backbone and network services for application and cloud providers.
Network automation is gaining momentum. Here's how you can drive this powerful technology to its full potential.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
